The most commonly used prior art method of crimping the teeth of the nut lock ring on the axle nut to keep it from turning and becoming loose is a pry bar or crow bar. However, the space within the hub cavity of the wheel in which to get at and behind the teeth of the nut lock ring is so small it is difficult to get the tip of the pry bar in place behind a selected one of the teeth. The puller of the present invention solves that problem.
The present invention comprises a flat support bar for placing over the outer end of the axle across the face of the axle nut, a puller member extends through an aperture at one end of the bar having a lateral projection or hook formed at its inwardly extending end on the inwardly facing side of the support bar with a puller nut threaded on the outwardly extending end of the puller on the oppositely facing side of the bar. The lateral projection or hook is positioned behind one of the teeth of the axle nut lock ring and the puller nut is then rotated to draw the tooth of the nut lock ring forward to crimp or bend over the surface of the adjacent axle nut. A slidably adjustable clamping lug is provided at the other end of the bar to clamp against a portion of the wheel hub when the puller is in position to engage and pull on a selected one of the teeth of the axle nut lock ring, thereby clamping and holding the bar in position while the puller crimps and bends the engaged tooth over one of the flat surfaces of the axle nut.
Other prior art devices for crimping teeth of a lock member over on to an adjacent nut known to the inventor include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,392,264; 1,886,732; 1,480,811; and 212,659 which are readily available to the public and interested parties in the United States Patent and Trademark Office as well as in the public libraries of various cities throughout the United States.